Orchard-heater.



T. E. FULGHUM.

ORCHARD HEATER.

APPLIUATION FILEDMAE. '1, 1910.

Patented ov. 15,1910.

. anoentm Winaaoo'o THOMAS E. FULGHUM, OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL ORCHARD HEATER 00., OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO,

ORCHARD-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

Application filed March 7, 1910. Serial No. 547,764.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. FULGHUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Junction, in the county of Mesa and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Orchard-Heater, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to heaters of that type designed to be placed in orchards for the purpose of preventing injury by frost.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction and cheap to manufacture and which can be readily regulated so as to control the flame.

A further object is to provide a device of this character the parts of which are so arranged as to thoroughly mix the air with the combustible gases and thus reduce the amount of smoke produced during the operation of the heater.

"With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the heater, the regulating cover being shown raised thereabove. Fig. 2 is an enlarged central vertical section through the heater, the cover being in position.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a receptacle of any suitable size and proportions and preferably provided with notches 2 in the upper edge thereof. This receptacle is designed to hold the oil or other fuel used and in order that air may be supplied to the fuel so as to support combustion, a disk 3, preferably conical, is suspended within the upper portion of the receptacle with its apex downward. This disk is provided adjacent its center with a plurality of apertures 4 and openings 5 are preferably formed in the disk adjacent the periphery for the reception of crossed supporting rods 6. These rods extend along the lower face of the disk and then upwardly through the openings 5 and terminate in radially extending fingers 7 having downwardly extending terminals 8. These fingers are adapted to be seated within certain of the notches 2 and the terminals 8 contact with the outer face of the wall of the receptacle and thus prevent the fingers from pulling out of the notches and hold the disk 3 properly centered within the receptacle. It is to be understood that the disk may be of any other shape desired and that means other than those which have been shown and described may be employed for supporting thedisk within the upper portion of the receptacle.

In order that the heater may be regulated, a cover is provided therefor, this cover being preferably formed of a metal plate 9 having depending retaining ears or flanges 10. The said plate is designed to rest upon the upper edge of the receptacle and to bridge all of the notches 2, the ears or flanges 10 hanging downward outside of the receptacle and serving to prevent the cover from shifting laterally.

In using the heater which has been described the receptacle 1 is filled with liquid or solid fuel and after the fuel has been ignited, the cover 9 may be placed thereon. The downwardly extending disk 3 with the apertures 4 at the center thereof creates a center draft, the air from the surrounding atmosphere passing downwardly through the openings 4 and into the fuel and driving the flames toward the notches 2 through which they will escape as long as the cover is in position. By removing the cover, the flame will be in the form of a ring between the disk 3 and the notched edge of the receptacle, and by partly covering the receptacle by means of the cover 9, the ring like flame can be reduced or partly extingulshed.

It is to be understood that if desired, the disk 8 and its supporting fingers can be used in connection with other forms of receptacles than that which has been shown and described.

Various changes can be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

hat is claimed is 1. An orchard heater including a fuel receptacle open at the top and having a plurality of notches in the upper edge of the wall thereof, an inverted conical member supported within and spaced from the wall of the receptacle and having central air receiving apertures, and a cover removably and adjustably mounted upon the receptacle,

said cover including depending portions for engaging the receptacle.

2. An orchard heater including a fuel receptacle open at the top and having a plurality of notches in the upper edge of the Walls thereof, an inverted conical member within and concentric with the upper portion of the receptacle and spaced from the wall thereof, said member having centralair receiving apertures, means extending across the lower face of the conical member and beyond the periphery thereof for engaging the notched wall of the receptacle to support the member within the receptacle, and a cover removably and adjustably mounted on the receptacle.

3. An orchard heater including a fuel receptacle open at the top and having notches in the upper edge of its walls, an inverted conical member supported within and concentric with the upper portion of the receptacle and spaced from the wall thereof, said member having air receiving apertures in the apex portion thereof, crossed supporting rods threaded through the peripheral portion of the member and extending along the lower face of said member, said rods extending beyond the periphery of the member and having downwardly extended end portions for engaging the notched portion of the wall of the receptacle, and a cover removably and adjustably mounted on the receptacle, and having depending receptacle engaging portions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS 'E. FULGHUM.

Witnesses:

CHARLES B. RICH, JESSIE E. RICH. 

